Original - Blacked Out

This ring is modeled after the first ring Nick ever made. Hence the name "Original." Back then it was made on a section of rail track he received as a "go-get-it-kid" gift by one of his step-brothers. Now it's made on anvils from the mid to late 1800's. Each ring is made with a piece of history.

Each of our pieces are made to order and produced using traditional and modern blacksmithing techniques. No soldering, no wax carving and/or cast work. Everything is made with a hammer, anvil, and forge.

The Materials:

Our rings are made using 304 stainless steel. Yes, there's nickel present in the alloy. Some of us have reactive oils in our skin, which means that our skin will brown if we wear these too often.

This happens to Nick all the time with the pieces he wears. He recommends taking them off at night and any time you're doing heavy work with your hands and/or sweating.

Black Steel:

The steel itself is actually the color you expect steel to be. That silvery-gray metallic color. The black color is a two stge process. First, the steel is annealed in the forge (heated up to temperature and allowed to cool very slowly) the forging process itself results in scale forming on the exteiror of the piece. This is an oxide layer and it turns a darker gray after annealing. During the quenching process (when the steel is heated and then immediately cooled in  a vat of oil) this scale takes on an even darker appearance: the black you see in the images above and our videos on social media.

It's important to know ahead of time that this blackened oxide layer will come off over time. The wearing down of this layer is dependent on:

1. How often you wear the piece.

2. How rough you  are with it (metal grinding against your ring, or taking it to a sander strips off the blackened scale very quickly.

Upkeep:

The ring is solid steel. There's not a whole lot you need to do to take care of it.

The black oxide layer covering the ring will come off over time, revealing the stainless steel underneath. This means you'll get some rub off on your skin when you first get the ring. This break in period is temporary.

In the event you beat your ring to living hell and it needs a full refinishing we can take care of that. There will be a refinishing option available for order with each drop.

What if My Ring Doesn't Fit?

We expect you to do your part and get yourself sized in a jewelry shop before placing your order. However, ring sizing mandrels are finicky creatures and sometimes there can be a half-size difference from kit to kit. We offer one free resize for each ring purchased.

Due to the limited nature of our releases, we understand you may learn about us the day of our drops. You have the duration of the order period to change the ring sized you ordered. Which means you can grab the ring you want the hour our sales go live, and then get sized tomorrow. Then write to us the following day informing us of your actual ring size.

Returns:

Sometimes you order something and it isn't quite you expected. We've all been there. Simply contact us within 60 days of the date of delivery and send the ring back to us. We'll ask what happened and it's okay to say you changed your mind. Our goal is to continually strive to make better products so we appreciate honest feedback that's delivered in a respectful manner.

All pieces are crafted by my hands, with occasional help from Billy Borusso when I'm overwhelmed.

Stock (RAW) material is obtained through an online distributer (historically has been OnineMetals). The manufacturing company I most commonly receive my raw material from is Ta Chen International. This is disclosed to me through Mill Test Reports that state the material composition of the stock, the country of origin, and the distributing company.

The country of origin for most of the stainless steel I receive from Ta Chen International is Taiwan.

Ta Chen prohibits child labor, traficking, and coercion in their company. They also uphold a respect for diversity, have materinity protections, and institute working class protections. This is a summary taken from their Human Rights Policy. You can access the 3 page report here

My black and polished steel pieces are made using grade 304 and 316L stainless steel.

My brass or copper colored pieces are all made with grade 230-H58 brass.

These rings will survive a lot.

That said, if you want to keep your ring's finish pristine, I recommend you take care of it.

Don't expose it to harsh chemicals. Take it off when cleaning/ showering. Remove jewelry when working with your hands, both for your safety and the longevity of the piece. For an exhaustive jewelry care list, click here.